Kentucky Rep Suspended after Multiple Women Claimed Misconduct and Inappropriate Behaviour
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky-
Kentucky Rep. Daniel Grossberg faces temporary suspension from the state’s House Democratic caucus over allegations of inappropriate behavior with women at the statehouse.
The caucus has also urged the state’s Legislative Ethics Commission to conduct a formal investigation into the complaints.
Grossberg, a resident of Louisville, expressed his approval of the ethics investigation and is confident that it will vindicate him.
The allegations were first reported in an article published by the Lexington Herald-Leader on Tuesday. According to reports, four women employed by nonprofit advocacy agencies or lobbying firms have come forward to share their experiences of what they consider to be inappropriate behavior from Grossberg. They have described certain text messages as “weird” or “creepy.”
According to Courier Journal, House Democrats held a caucus meeting this morning and made the decision to temporarily suspend Grossberg, referring the matter to the Legislative Ethics Commission. The caucus is headed by Representatives Derrick Graham, Cherlynn Stevenson, and Rachel Roberts.
The state party chairman, Colmon Elridge, expressed his concerns on Wednesday, describing the allegations as “unsettling.” He emphasized that the Kentucky Democratic Party has a strong stance against sexual harassment and any form of sexual misconduct, with zero tolerance for such behavior.
Grossberg is a member of the state House of Representatives, along with 19 other Democrats. He is currently serving his second year of his first term and is set to run unopposed for reelection in November. In the May primary, he narrowly defeated Mitra Subedi, a fellow Democrat, by a margin of only 50 votes.
Upon receiving a complaint, the individual who is the subject of the complaint will be promptly notified within a period of 10 days. They will then be given a reasonable timeframe of 20 days to provide a response. The ethics commission has the authority to either dismiss the complaint or acknowledge the possibility of an ethics violation if there is sufficient evidence to support such a finding.
If the commission suspects a potential violation, it initiates a preliminary inquiry stage. There are various possible outcomes for the complaint, including dismissal, confidential reprimand of the legislator, or the commission finding probable cause of a violation.
If the commission determines that there is sufficient evidence, it will proceed with a public hearing that resembles a civil trial. During this hearing, witnesses may be called and evidence can be presented. If a violation is found, the commission has the authority to enforce various penalties, such as fines, public reprimands, recommendations for sanctions, and cease and desist orders.
Read More: Virginia Attorney General Backs Policy Excluding Transgender Student from Girls’ Team
